Why We Ended Up Like This
by Mr.Marr
Summary: All the kids at Elm Tree are acting strangely when Elektra reforms the SETA Club in the attic. Everyone has changed; they get up later than usual and are in a bad mood most of the time. Will Gus, Harry and Tracy find out what's wrong? Rated T for teenage themes.
1. Take a Good Look

**OK, so it's like Christmas Eve, and this evening I was in bed reading a fanfiction that I printed off last week. And it was really good and a particular part of it gave me an idea to make this one. So I wrote it straight after I read the fanfiction.**

**This story is set somewhere around Series 3 of Tracy Beaker Returns, but it's got an inconsistency of characters. Sapphire has left, Liam has left but Toby has come back. That's the best i could do to explain, so here is the first part of it.**

Everything was becoming strange to Harry. No one was coming out to play with him, especially since Sapphire had left. Tee and Carmen had been exceptionally kind to him, offering to keep him company during the weeks. But he had seen a change in them when they started to hang out with Elektra.

Not just Carmen and Tee, but every other kid: Lily, Rick, Toby, Johnny, Frank and Tyler. Gus and Harry were the only normal people left.

Did the care workers notice anything different about them? Tracy certainly did, constantly asking everyone if they were OK, only replying that they were fine.

Harry noticed that he was usually up before everyone else, even before Tracy arrived at the Dumping Ground. He didn't even bother going into anyone's room to ask them why they didn't get up. Chief reason being that everyone was in a bad mood when they got up. That scared Harry because everyone used to be so cheery-eyed.

So what was Elektra doing to make everyone feel so edgy?

It was just after lunch on Friday. Harry gripped Jeff who was lying on the dinner table; he was the last to leave. He went to see what Gus was doing, and found him on the piano, practising a number. Harry paced over to him and was about to speak when Gus cut in.

"No talking for 3 minutes, I have to finish this piece."

Harry patiently waited until Gus finally hit the last long note.

"What is it, Harry?"

"Jeff wants to play."

"Jeff does not feel desire; he is just a stuffed animal."

"No one wants to play with Jeff anymore. Everyone hangs out with Elektra."

"Then ask Mike, Gina or Tracy to play with him." Gus watched Harry take his advice and leave him alone. How could a young boy be so obsessed with his giraffe? Gus took his notebook out of his pocket and wrote something into it.

Harry went to find Tracy, which was not hard to do because she was in the kitchen finishing the dishes that the kids were meant to clean, but had avoided doing by scampering the room.

"Tracy, Jeff wants to play."

"I don't think Jeff would want me to get him wet right now, wait 'til I finish these. Aren't any of the other kids free?"

"No, they all want to play with Elektra."

Tracy stopped scrubbing the plate. "Yeah, I have noticed that the past few days everyone is usually quieter than before. Especially the girls. Have you tried talking to them?"

"They sometimes shout at me when I try to ask them to play. So I stop looking for them."

Tracy let the tap run water over the plate. "Maybe I should ask everyone what's happening. They don't sound themselves anymore... It's like they've been replaced by zombies."

Harry went upstairs to try and find out what Elektra was exactly doing with the others. He had first noticed it when Elektra called some of the kids to her room for a private meeting. After that, everyone except for he and Gus changed their moods. They used to be so relaxed, but now they were arbitrarily acting high and low.

Harry didn't understand much about people, but he didn't want to find out what it was, if it were anything bad.

Continuing up the stairs, he came to a stop as he reached the top. He knew where the kids were. Pressing Jeff against the wall, he slowly proceeded to the attic door, which was a tiny bit open.

It was like last year all over again when Elektra started the SETA Club. Things were bound to go wrong soon. But what was Elektra planning now?

They probably weren't stealing anything because the staff hasn't noticed anything missing. Harry could hear everyone laughing and talking in the room. Were they just having a friendly gathering in the attic? If they were, then why did they act so hostile later on in the day?

Harry wanted to go in, but he remembered what had happened last time he had seen something that he was not supposed to have seen. He looked at Jeff and wondered whether he should risk taking Jeff with him. On second thoughts, whatever they were doing might not be so innocuous, so Harry took Jeff back to his room.

The second time Harry neared the attic door, he was a little bit more afraid because he didn't have Jeff. He heard the kids talking loudly and laughing in between. This was apparently the same club with new members. But why had they rejoined? Most of the kids didn't even like Elektra that much, so why were they spending their company with her?

Harry opened the door and stepped inside. No one saw him come in due to the dark surroundings. What Harry could see was that the kids were acting peculiar. They seemed happier than before.

Tyler and Rick were laughing at the things that Elektra was saying (which were just deadpan things to say anyway; Elektra wasn't usually like this). Carmen, Lily and Tee were dancing with an energy that they didn't appear to have had before. They looked so wild, especially Tee who was normally the sensible one. They were also singing out a track acapella, not realising how loud and crazy they sounded. Johnny was telling them to shut up because they couldn't sing, while Elektra and Frank stopped talking to laugh at his insulting comments.

Harry put his hands to his ears. He couldn't endure their current behaviour, nor could he see how they didn't noticed how different they were acting. What was wrong with the group? Elektra seemed to be the ringleader of this out-of-control clan, telling everyone how great it was for her to re-organise her club.

So it was still a club, Harry thought. But they didn't look like they were doing anything unauthorised. He didn't understand why everyone stopped being themselves just to play circus up in the attic.

It was all too much for Harry, and he didn't want to dither any minute longer if they were behaving like this. He knew that their spirits would fall later on in the day. They hung about in the garden now, if not the attic.

Harry left the room and closed the door. He went back to his room and held on to Jeff. any minute now, the kids would leave the attic to go downstairs. How joyless he had been without Sapphire. If she or Liam had been here, they would have sorted out everyone else instead of leaving him as an outcast.

Harry know that something had to been done about this situation.

**What did you guys and girls think of the first part? I wrote it all down sitting in bed, I didn't really get stuck, prior to writing it, I didn't know that it would be principally from Harry's perspective. So it's 22:29M now.**

**Have a good Christmas for tomorrow.**


	2. When We Have To Pry

**Thanks reviewers.**

Sure enough, the gang was out in the garden, soaking out the effects of their felicity. Harry watched from the window as Elektra led her pack out. There was a football on the grass and Toby kicked it into a bush. Tyler followed it to get it back and the girly girls seceded from the group to do their own stuff.

Harry watched and thought about whether he should try and join them. But he watched gradually as everyone started to slow their actions. Elektra held on to her head and bent over a bit. Tee suddenly passed out on the grass. Everyone else didn't seem surprised at this.

"See I told her she shouldn't have taken any," said Elektra. "Why did you even have to tell her about it?" She asked Johnny. "It happens every damn time. Quick, help her up."

"I can't carry her," said Lily. "I feel a bit faint myself."

"Rick, you're the only other strong guy here, we'll carry her in. Toby, Frank, Tyler, keep a look out in case one of the care workers see us." Elektra bent down to grab Tee's arms while Rick lifted her legs.

Tyler, Frank and Toby went to the door, casually trying to walk in.

Now Harry was really worried. He had just seen Tee faint, and according to Elektra, this wasn't the first time. He went downstairs to meet them and saw Tee's limp body being carried by Elektra and Rick.

"What's wrong with Tee?"

"Harry, go to your room. We'll play with you later."

Harry let the last sentence linger on him. Rick said "_We'll play with you later_," and if this was a possibility, then Harry could find out what was happening. Harry obediently went back to his room and waited. He talked to Jeff.

"Does Jeff think that they're doing something bad?" He made Jeff nod. "And does Jeff think I should tell Tracy or just find out what it is myself?" Jeff didn't answer.

* * *

A few days later, Harry went back to the attic while everyone was in there. They were doing their usual thing, but this time they were throwing cushions around. Tyler was just saying the worst jokes ever and Frank was weirdly trying to chat up Elektra.

Harry heard Tee say, "Can I have another one? Because I was an original member of SETA last year."

"No," said Elektra. "I think we shouldn't let you even be a member of SETA anymore. You always pass out, and I saw you getting sick one night."

"But I want one. If you want to see me more happy, then you'd help me."

"No, Tee," said Johnny. "Just go back to crazy dancing."

"Uh guys, I have an announcement to make," said Elektra. "We're running out of supplies, so we have to make do with our last ones. So I'm gonna get a few drinks for us soon. Have one or the other."

Harry listened to them carefully.

Toby said, "But how are we gonna get through the week?"

"I told you," said Elektra. "I can get some drinks for us. Just continue what we're doing and hope that no one notices."

Everyone carried on what they were doing while Harry felt so fed up. They were wasting away, not caring about anyone else, leaving him out of any activity. They were being unfriendly because of Elektra's plans.

Harry wanted to run downstairs and tell Tracy but something compelled him not to. Why not join everyone in this attic scene? There was something about them that prevented Harry from joining in, but he didn't know what it was.

Harry went down to look for Gus, who was in the living room.

"Gus, why does everyone want to be with Elektra?"

"Elektra tried to make herself popular, so she does something to make everyone be her friend. She's making everyone hang out with her, to make everyone be her friend. she's making this house a lot quieter than it was before, and that's not normal. We should see what's making everyone hang out with her to make everything back the way it was. I was looking through my notes, and read that everyone's behaviour has been changing at dinner, lunch or any other activity where everyone is together."

"So," said Harry. "Does that mean you'll help me stop them from staying all day in the attic?"

"Yes," said Gus. "But not today. We can start on Wednesday, since they started to change on that day. I like to keep things specific like that."

"and should we tell Tracy about it?"

"My other notes tell me that an adult shouldn't be relied on from the beginning. We have to find out what we know, and when the time is right, we can tell Tracy, Mike and Gina. Tracy is not trustworthy to tell; Mike and Gina have to be informed."

"OK," said Harry, and went back to his room.

He looked out of the window, waiting for everyone to leave. The situations scared him. The look on the children's faces up in the attic was one he didn't recognise...


	3. When Something Goes Wrong

**Thanks reviewers. Important notice, this story is nearly finished. The last chapter will be uploaded tomorrow. So while writing this chapter, I was listening to Nicola Roberts' _Cinderella's Eyes_ album and then...**

On Wednesday at lunch, Gus and Harry started their plan. Gus sat next to Harry the whole time while everyone else had their vacant conversations.

"So how is everyone?" asked Tracy.

"We're all fine," said Elektra's crew.

"What about you Tee?" Tracy asked. "You don't look OK."

"I'm actually fine," replied Tee.

"All of you have been acting weird lately. I think we all need to go bowling."

"No we don't," said Elektra. "We're all fine here aren't we." Everyone agreed with her.

"Alright, what's going on with all o' ya?" Gina broke in. "Things have been so quiet lately as if somethin's died. I don't even see any o' ya talk anymore."

"Maybe cos there's nothing to do anymore," said Johnny. "People like Sapphire and Liam have gone so there's no one to cheer us up."

"Guys," said Mike. "If you want to talk to them, all you have to do is pick up the phone."

"No, we don't need them," said Elektra. "Come on guys, let's sort ourselves out today then." Everyone except for Gus and Harry left the table.

"So what are we gonna do now?" Harry asked Gus.

"It's Wednesday now, so we can follow them up to the attic, because that's where they usually go after lunch. We can find out what they're doing."

So this was Harry's third time uninvited to the attic. Since it was right after lunch, Gus and Harry had to tail the gang so as not to be noticed. This time Harry was going to see how the kids turned crazy.

Up in the attic, Elektra got out a large bag. "Before I give this to you guys, I'm going to tell you something. Stop giving us away so easily! Things like 'there's nothing to do anymore', don't you think they're onto us? If you don't want to be involved with SETA anymore, then just leave. That's better for you. Now in this bag, I've got the drinks. Who's got their pills left?"

"I do," said Tee. "Me and Carmen got one each."

"No one else?" asked Elektra. "No? OK, Tee and Carmen, are you gonna take that, or do you want a drink?"

"We'll have the drink," Carmen spoke up.

"Frank, did you get the cups from the kitchen?" Frank brought out the plastic cups. "OK good. Give one to everyone, then we could drink."

"Do you know what they're doing?" Harry asked Gus, who was scribbling in his notebook.

"Wait. I think they're up to trouble."

Elektra poured a drink into everyone's cup. "After you drink this, just scram out of here. The care workers will clock what we're doing. And take your cups with you, they can't find them."

Gus and Harry had to move out of the way so everyone could leave. "Gus, what's going to happen to them?"

"They're going to dispose their cups soon. Maybe go out into the garden. It doesn't look good to them, especially since they've still got pills."

"Should we tell Mike or Gina then?"

"Not yet. Things don't look too bad. Just track what they're doing now."

Gus and Harry went downstairs to the kitchen, where Tracy was. "Hi guys, good to see that you're playing. Why don't you join the others? They've all gone outside."

Tracy lifted Harry so he could see out of the window. Everyone was out there acting like they were in the past few weeks. Gus said to Tracy "We want to go outside, me and Harry." Tracy let Harry go and watched them leave to go to the garden. Tracy looked out and saw everyone joking around.

"Good to see that things are back to normal, I think."

Outside, Gus and Harry turned to the others. "Why have you lot been drinking?" Gus asked them.

Elektra noticed him standing there. "What? How did you know?"

"We went to the attic and heard you talking about it," said Harry.

"Look, you two are too young for this," said Rick. "It's best you stay out of this."

"But Tee is only a few years older than me," said Gus. "Harry told me what he saw last week. It's not good for her, or any of you."

"Look, this whole thing was my idea," said Elektra. "The pills, the drinks and everything. It was all meant for myself. But once someone saw me with it, I had to get them involved. And that was Carmen. Carmen tells everyone, and it's lucky you two didn't find out earlier. They can't stop it now; it''s what they need."

"Yeah, it makes us feel so great," said Tyler. "Before we felt so normal. But now we know exactly how to feel. This is what teenagers should be doing."

"Can't you be normal again?" said Harry. "I'm littler than all of you so I feel so left out. I don't even know what you're doing but it must be bad. Look at Tee, she's never been like that before. You changed her."

Tee was lying on the grass face down and Lily was walking over her.

Gus said, "It's best that everyone stops now, do you know the long term damage? All of you are so young. Anything that happens is fatal." He was interrupted by Tee who suddenly got up and yelled "I'm gonna climb that tree again."

Toby laughed at her. "No you're not," said Johnny. "You're totally out of it, you can't even walk properly, you'll fall and you'll die."

"Fine I don't care," said Tee. She walked off with Carmen.

"Tracy is at the window," said Gus. "She could see all of you. She thinks you're having fun."

"Let her think whatever," said Elektra.

A few minutes later, Harry was still wondering why no one had listened to him or Gus. "This is bad," said Gus. "We need to tell Mike and Gina and Tracy now." But before they could even go back inside, they heard Johnny shout. "Quick! Get her up."

Harry saw that Tee was now on the grass. "Did she fall off the tree?" he asked.

"No, the stupid cow's just passed out," said Elektra. "OK, let's take her back to her room."

"No! It's much worse than that," said Carmen. Everyone turned to her. "What?" said Elektra.

"She took two of the pills that we had. Both of the ecstasy pills."

Elektra uttered a bad swear word. "Why? Now what are we gonna do?"

Harry turned to Gus who was going inside the Dumping Ground, probably to tell Tracy. He followed him to try and get immediate help for Tee.

**So I was listening to Evanescence's _Fallen_, and I wrote the last sentence just as _Bring me to Life_ was finishing.**


	4. We Won't Change

Tracy waited in the hospital room. How wrong everything had been the past few weeks. Tee was lying on a bed getting her stomach pumped.

And of course, how she had to explain to Mike and Gina what was going on. Elektra had taken it too far.

Not until they'd heard Elektra's full story on her drug abuse and alcoholic past. Her old friend had contacted her again, when Elektra was most vulnerable. It wasn't Elektra's fault that Carmen found out.

Elektra, being the secretive girl she was, had to do something to stop them from telling on her. So she had to get them involved. Definitely not Harry or Gus, who were too young to know the effects.

The moment Tracy had run outside to see poor Tee on the ground, looking dead. No, don't think that Tracy. Tee was just a kid. Nothing wrong would happen to her.

All of the kids had been addicted. Tyler, craving the drugs and drinks thought that it was what teenagers needed. He was so wrong.

"How's she doing?" Tracy asked the nurse outside Tee's room.

"Very poorly. Someone's going to have to stay overnight for her."

"I'll do that," said Mike. "She'd want me there."

The rest of the kids were at home with Gina. After she had confiscated all the drinks they had, they were confined to their rooms. Except for Gus and Harry, who she let help prepare dinner for the remaining children.

Tracy knew that she could have done something to help. She's noticed everyone being much quieter lately. And Harry... Harry only wanting to play with her. She could have investigated it all.

Gina had been on the phone to Tracy.

"Yeah, the kids are gonna have to go to rehabilitation. We don't know how many of them are addicted."

Hopefully, it would turn out for the better. None of the other kids had taken an overdose, and neither were any of them alcoholics.

"Rehab? Are you sure?" Tracy asked.

"It's not permanent. The doctors just want to know how dependent the kids were to the drugs. We don't know how much they took of the ecstasy pills. Elektra, she's already applied to the centre. She's going to get all the help she needs"

And drugs were not a topic to be discussed in Elm Tree anymore. It was just a reason to explain the empty feelings of every kid in the Dumping Ground.

Tracy looked through the hospital door. Tee was smiling in her sleep. She was going to be OK. She was having a wonderful dream, and in a few days, she would return to Elm Tree and join the others.

And Harry? Harry confided in a new friend by the name of Gus. Maybe Gus could be his new acquaintance from now on.

Little Harry... just smiling faintly at the thought of everyone back to the way they were...

No more dark afternoons in the attic.

No more being the only one up in the morning.

Just back to how life should be in care.

**Well that's it. Happy New Year for 2013 in ten minutes!**


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